Sometimes it can seem like protein is the most important piece of the nutrition puzzle, especially if you’ve spent any time on social media or witnessed the fitness community’s obsession with protein.
While most people will likely meet or exceed their protein requirements, dietitians have previously said luckIt’s important to make sure your diet meets your body’s changing needs as you age.
Here’s expert advice on how much protein you need at each stage of life.
Why is protein so important?
Protein is a macronutrient consisting of 20 amino acids, with nine essential amino acids that we can only get from our diet. It is a vital structural component of our cells, tissues, hormones, enzymes and many other body functions. A constant supply of amino acids through the protein we eat is essential for cell and tissue growth and repair.
Getting enough protein is especially important for children, who are in a vital stage of development, and protein serves as a building block for cells in all organ systems. It’s also important for older adults, who need more protein to help counteract loss of muscle and bone mass.
How much protein do you need at each age?
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans How much protein you should get depends on your age.
Here’s how much protein kids should eat each day:
- Toddlers: 13 grams of protein
- Children 4 to 8 years: 19 grams
- Children ages 9 to 13: 34 grams
- Teens, ages 14 to 18: 46 grams
For adults over 19 years:
- The USDA says that 10% to 35% of your daily calories should come from protein sources — for a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, that would be 200 to 700 calories.
Another common way to measure protein intake is by weight. Several dietitians, including registered dietitian Abby Sharp, spoke to them luck, Use a scale of 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. To get your weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2.2, then multiply it by 0.8 and 1.2 to get your protein range.
For older adults, Sharp encourages increasing protein intake, especially since it becomes more difficult to maintain muscle and bone mass as you age. Sharp previously said adults over 60 can eat up to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. luck.
Don’t obsess over protein
While it’s important to make sure you’re meeting your protein needs at every stage of life, nutritionists believe the high-protein obsession has gone too far, especially on social media.
“Most Americans eat more protein than they need anyway,” Stella Volpe, president of the American College of Sports Medicine and a registered dietitian, previously said. luck.
In fact, the USDA estimates that nearly 60% of the U.S. population ages one year and older eats more than the dietary recommendations for protein.
“If you eat enough good food, you’ll get enough protein,” Amati previously said. luck.
For more on protein:
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